Audience appreciation

As a longtime season ticket holder at the Quality Hill Playhouse, I was appalled at Bill Brownlee’s flippant review of the theater’s latest show. (June 12, 5A, “King’s, Taylor’s songs get cabaret treatment”)

Observing a couple leaving after one number, he assumed that they left because of the poor quality of the entertainment rather than a personal emergency, even though (as I have heard from others who were present) they were staring at their cellphones as they hurried out.

Who would pay $35 for a ticket and leave after hearing just one number?

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Also, he seems oblivious to the appeal of the Playhouse’s shows, which have been playing to packed houses for two decades. Producer/emcee/pianist Kent Barnhart has designed them for people who enjoy hearing songs sung, not shouted.

Of course, reviewers are entitled to their opinions, but they should have some understanding of the medium about which they are writing.

I also take issue with this same reviewer’s comment on the film version of “Tommy” in his review of the Musical Theatre Heritage stage production. (June 12, 5A, “‘The Who’s Tommy’ is reborn …”) He referred to it as “gaudy,” showing no appreciation of the bold cinematography of this groundbreaking classic.

Stu Lewis

Prairie Village

Talk to others

The June 9 Star story “As Comey testifies, KC area tunes in” (7A) was totally biased. What was Kansas City saying? The seven quotes could all be construed as anti-President Donald Trump.

That sure was not what I was hearing. The testimony cleared Trump, and that was the story.

The Star needs to listen more closely or do the readers a service and get a wider group to talk with.

Rich Delaney

Overland Park

Gun debate

This week we experienced yet another tragic moment that involved gunfire.

I was trained to use a rifle and pistol as an officer in the U.S. Army during Vietnam. I own guns and I hunt. I am not opposed to guns.

However, we might need to open our minds and look to changes to the Second Amendment. Perhaps gun ownership should be a privilege and not a right.

We no longer have only single-shot muskets. We have small weapons of mass destruction that an individual can carry and use at will, anywhere.

These types of killings will continue until we change things. Drastic changes are needed.

Robert Steed

Gallatin

Recusal need

Despite the fact Robert Mueller has support from both sides of the aisle, with his longtime friend and colleague, former FBI Director James Comey now the key witness in the investigation into alleged connections between Russia and the Trump administration, Mueller has no choice but to recuse himself as the special counsel on all matters involving Comey.

According to a guest column in USA Today by William G. Otis, an adjunct professor at Georgetown University, Mueller and Comey have been friends for 15 years and have worked together many times.

Moreover, Comey’s laudatory comments about Mueller during his testimony should be enough to warrant the recusal because of what appears to be a mutual admiration society between the two.

It is in the interests of the nation that this investigation be completed without such an obviously blatant potential conflict of interest.

We have had special counsel investigations before. Let’s make certain this one sets a high bar for the good of all.

If Mueller doesn’t recuse himself, then Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein or Attorney General Jeff Sessions should remove him.

Virginia Kudlinski

Overland Park

Words don’t match

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver was quoted by The Star on June 12: “The Trump presidency has been an Excedrin headache. I think he’s a tiny little bully that borders on being a tiny little criminal. It’s becoming a joke, and I don’t think anybody ought to celebrate this.” (8A, “Cleaver calls Trump a bully, almost a criminal”)

He was again quoted in The Star on June 15, in response to the shooting of Rep. Steve Scalise and others: “The most important lesson we can take out of this is to tone down our rhetoric.” (A6, “In their own words”)

Did Cleaver experience a three-day conversion, or is he just another hypocritical, dishonest politician who expresses expedient contradictions to satisfy what he thinks others want to hear ?